Vertical lift bridge



L. H. SHOEMAKER VERTICAL LIFT BRIDGE Sept. 20, 1949,

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 22, 1945 m N V! .2 mw mm H M 5 iw m w Sept.20, 1949. H. SHOEMAKER v I 2,482,562

' v VERTICAL LIFT BRIDGE I Filed May 22, 1945 4 s Shee ts-Sheet s ,gH N

a H R I 2 2 INVENTOR. N lows M imam r52,

By fiiMVh 44kg,

Arroemsvs.

Sept. 20, 1949. H. SHOEMAKER 2,482,562

VERTICAL LI'FT BRIDGE Eiled May 22, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jim. 6.

INVENTOR. Leas/i .Saozflmrze,

Arroe'lvsys.

P 20, 1949- I. L. H. SHCIDEMAKER 2,482,562

VERTICAL LIFT BRIDGE Filed May 22, 1945 5 Sheeis-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Zea/sM 5HOEMAKER,

Arne/vars.

- the span side of the weightto be lifted by, the winding engines,whereguarded against. A feature .of .my invention, for the varying loadcaused by tion of the lifting span is travel between them of auxiliarycounterweight chain. The upperpor cable in the tower.- of the cable ofthe auxiliary counterweight passes the vertically arranged sheaves, theupper sheave 1'.

see- 9st.

cables 32,.fbr the counterand therefore. theirweight is. veryconsiderable. =In the.lowered position of the span the weight of thecablesis carried on towers, thereby increasing the as in :the raisedposition of-the; span the weight wofthe cablesis suspended from thecounterweight :sheave on the opposite side, thereby. decreasing l-theweigh t to be, lifted.

fective weight of the counterweight tends tocause- @T c ea fi the .e

increasingly rapid lifting of the span unless s to compensate thecounterweight cables y the provision of a short length ofcnain :55,serving as an auxiliary counterweight, which,

instead of being lowered between. extreme high 1 and low positionsofthe. counterweight as in known constructions, 1- fourth this distanceandis movedthrough only onein fully raised position. The constructionand operation of the auxiliary counterweights is shown in Figs, ;11, 12,13 and 14. The weight of chain 55 is nearly. as-possible equal to thetotal weightof over the sheaves from the lifting span. The chain isattached to a top member of the lifting span bymeans ofa cabletfipassing over a sheave 51 supported on the towers and over a secondsheave58 enabling the chain to hangdoyvnwardly with the bottom link supportedonanabutment 59 arranged at a pointone-quarter of the distance traveledby the main counterweightv b tween its raised position and its loweredDOSition. I

At a point exactly midway of the travel of the lifting span of the,bridge two sheavesGO, 6| are arranged in vertical relation and arespacedapart .as closely as is possible while permitting the cablesupporting-the tion of the vertical run of the chain supporting cablepasses around thetower side of. the upper sheave, then passes betweenthe sheaves, and continues over the oppositeside. of the lower sheave.to its point of connection to the, liftingspan; The result of thisarrangement is that during the raising of the lifting span,,the-top ofthe chain is lowered, thus continuously reducing the weight of the chainsuspended. by the cable as more and more of the chain is suspended fromthe abutment, until the point of attachment of. the chain to the liftingspan reaches the level at which the cable passes between the verticallyarranged sheaves, at which time the weight of the auxiliary chaincounterweight is wholly suspended from the abutment exactly compensatingfor the increased weight. of the counterweight As the point ofattachment acts to transmit a pull .to the cable which acts against thelifting power and again raises the end of the chain orauxiliary'counterweight so weight added to the counterweight byzthecounterweight cables is counterbalanced at. all times.

To provide a chain which .will function satisfactorily I construct it.-of 1a iplural-ityofshrt:

at the fully raised posicrosssection of relatively the'sockts of ahigher tier.;

,thelpwest link is connectedto spacing members .1168 pivoted in bearingsI on the abutmentii! and length. of chain clear ofthe it may be lowered,by cable act irie ol th abutment so that .59. link by link untilwhollysupported onthe abutment.

- -A'stillfurther feature of the -invention is the pr o vision of novelattachingmeans for the ends .ofthe cables. .It has previously ,beennecessary to spread the ends ofa set of cables r-aising hea vy.1oads.;o.v rsbeay sa d th e m ed 111;...-

somewhat cumbersome arrangement of anchoring me s; lli rd r to m z lnace-i th a choring of a number of cable ends, I ,arrangethe cableendsin sockets 10 (Figs. '7 and 8) of square I smallsize and provideutments forth so ts a r ed inve tical tiers, the cables: attached to atier passing between By this meansa ;la rge number of cable ends can besecured ,to a smaller area of anchor plate and occupy a smalleryolumethan has been possible by previous practice. ,7 V

Breferably the socketsare provided-:with eyes ma. Apin may be passedthrough two opposite eyes and the end of a lever, fulcrumed against the.structure, may b passed over the pin,- a hydraulic jack being usedbearing against the free end of the lever to stress the cables totheirproper load, anyslack being tak n up by. shims inserted between thesockets and their abutment.. Figs. '7 and 8 show the connection ofthecounterweight cablesjz to the counterweights ifl which are formedabout a structural frameato whichu'vlengthsgofvangle material 12 areriveted and which project from the upper surface of the counterweighttoward each end thereof. Plates 13 aresecured to the flanges of theangle'material and to a heavy strap 14 extending vertically, from the,outside edge of the counterweight and secured to its structure andlengths of I beam-.15 are arranged to extend between the plates 13 and.are secured thereto by angles. Plates 16 of heavy gauge are welded tothe lower surface of the bottom flange of the I beams to provideabutments for the upper surfaces of the square'sockets 10. The cables 32are positioned in slots formed in the plates and I beams. Sixteen cableends are .shown arranged intwo tiers with half the cable ends .on oneside of the webbs of the I beams and half on the opposite sides It will.be noted that the construction described provides a very coinpact cableend anchoring assembly.

Figs. 9 and 10 show the right handhalf ofan 'arrangement for connectingthe counterweight cable ends to the end of the lifting span. .AnI beamis arranged to extend across the ends of ;-the span-superstructure towhich it is secured, and special castings 82 are bolted tothe front andback of the webb at each side of the bridge. The casting 82 is formed toprovide channels for the cables and flanges against which .bear thesquare section cable end fittings. The cable ends ateach side of thebridge are arranged inrtiers rand to the back and front of the carryingbeam as in the construction shownin Figs. 7 and 8;

sms

it-vlllbe-evident that r aatesrevmasvemcal lifting span bridge in whichthe lifting and operating means are simple, effective; and economical toconstruc't and operate; however, varisaid towers at each side thereof;bearing mem bers for said sheaves, one of said bearing members at eachside being in the plane of a side of the tower and near a verticalcolu'hin thereof; horizontal longitudinally extending tower bracmgmembers reduced in width in a part-oi" their length; additionalhorizontalinternal towerbrac- 'lng inemberscompensatin'g for the"reduced width of said longitudinally extending members; diagonallyarranged tower cross bracing members arranged on the exterior of saidtower-7 a counterweight extending across substantially the full Width ofthe tower interior in the space provided by the reduction'in width ofthelongitudinally extending bracing members; cables secured to saidcounterweight passed-over said sheaves and secured to said lifting span;lifting oable means scoured atone end to the idler tower; lowering cablemeans secured at one end to the idler tower; sheavos mounted onthevertical lift span around which the lifting and lowering cable means-arepassed; cable winding means located oflf thelift- .7

mg span adjacent one-end only thereof; sheaves mounted on the operatingtower below the level or the sheaves on said lifting span when-said spanis in" lowered position and around which=the10wering cables are passedfrom thelifting spanand led to the winding means, said lifting andloweringr cables being secured to said winding-means so that operationof said winding means acts, according to the direction of rotationthereof, to raise or lower said span.

4 2. A vertical lifting span bridge including: an

operating tower; an idler tower; a-verticallift span arranged forupwardand downward movement' between said towers; sheaves mounted on saidtowers; bearing members for said sheaiies, 5

one of said bearing'members at each sidebeing in the plane of aside ofthe tower and near a ver-- ti'c'al column thereof; horizontallongitudinally extending tower bracing members reduced in widthin a partOf their length; additional horizontal internal tower bracingmemberscompensating for the reduced width of said longitudinally extendingmembers; diagonally arranged tower cross bracing members arranged on theexterior of said tower; a counterweight extend- 0oing acrosssubstantially the full width of the tower interior ln'thospace provldedbythereduction in width" of the longitudinally extending bracingmembers; and cables secured to said counterweight passed over saidsheaves and se- 65 curedto said liftlngspa'n.

BRA vertical lilting span brldgeincludmgi an operating tower; an idlertower; a vertical-hit span arranged tor'upward and downwardmovemerit-between saldtowers; counterweight sheaves 70- inountedon saidtowers; cables attached to said lifting span and extending over saidsheaves; counterweights suspended in said towers from said cables;auxiliary counterweight sheaves mountad on-sald towers; auxiliaryccdntrwoislit -75 "means: on the auxiliary counterweight: of

' 'lbwrillg 'iiid spam- Sh'eEV'S mounted 81 the lifting span; sheavemeans mounted onscid operatins tower below the: level or the sheaves onsaid liftingspan when said span isin lowered position o: the" liftingspan; and cable winding incline located on the lifting span adjacent oneend only thereof, said cable means being passed 'lrom the points-oiattachment totheidler tower around theslieaves on the liftingspan-anderouhd the-sheave means'znomitedonthe ooerating towertherebelowsnd encased with said-winding means, so that operation of saidwinding means acts. according to" the direction of rotation thereof; to

raise'or lower the lifting-span. 4; A vertical lifting span-bridgeincluding: an operating tower: an" idler tower: a vertical'liit spanarranged for upward and downward movemerit"between said towers;counterweight sheaves mounted-on said towers; cables attached to saidlifting span and extendingover said-sheaves; ccunterwcishtssuspendedinsaid towersfrom said cables: auxiliary counterweight sheavesmounted onsaid" towers; auxiliary counterweight support ing cables running oversaid auxiliary counter- WelEhUshdiWes and" attached to said liftingspan; auxiliary countcl-weights of variable effective Wlght' suspendedin said towers from the cables ruhllin'govor said-auxiliarycounterweightsheaves and: comprislng a plurality of connected bodies;

5 means-tor cnangirie'the direction of movement of the auxiliarycounterweight: supporting cables fdiiringohe-hnlfoftheiipward ordownward movements! said span; means tovary the weight of said auxiliarcounterweight acting throughits supportmgcableunsold-liftingspan; cablemeans attached to-the idler tower for'raisins and lowermg 551d span;sheaves mounted on the lifting span; sheuvo means mounted on saidoperating tower bolbwthelevl or the sheaves on said liftin; span whensaid: span is in lowered posit-ion; and clble winding'means located Offthe lifting span sdiccent one end oiilythereoii said cable meansbmngpassed from the points of attachmerit to the idler: tower around thesheaves on the lifting shim ahdaround the sheave means mounted on theoperating tower therebelcw and engaged-with said winding means, so thatoperation or said winding mean acts, according "to the direction ofrotatio thereof to raise or lowcrthe'liitmg'spam f a. nlv'ertical"liiting span' bridge including: an operating tower; on idler tower; avertical lift spun amn'gcdior upward and downward movementbetween-saidtowers; cable means attached wine idler tower" torraising-and lowering said span; sheavcrmounted-chthelitting span; sheavemounted on said operating tower below trie -level 0t tho siiwvesonsaidlifting span when said spent; in loweredpositicn; cable windingliitiiig" span adjacent one endsonly theneof; said cable meansbeingpassed from t-luee' ointsof-attachmeniisto the -;tewen around: thesheaves. andi-sheanecmeans andens-- gaged withsai'dywindingameansssothat operatiomof-said windingmaeans aflfioldlng'ct the.

direetionof.rotationsthereef to raise erlewer the liiting; spam;counterweight: sheavesuonzsaid: tow ers;; main-.counterweighh cables.attached to the.-

lifting span and passing over said; counterweighttive speed of rotationof'said windinganeans; and:

counterweighiisheaves; ta effectv leael-i raisingq oi saidvertiealli-ftingspam.

6. A vertiea1-=,1i-fi;ing panihridgesinolndingzfairi operating tnwer:;an'- iQJEF'QtQWBI; a vertical lift span arranged for upward and downwardmovement betweenofilifting cable means secured at one endto the idlertower for raising each side of'the span; cables means secured at one endto the idler tower for lowering eachsitte dithe span', sheaves mountedon. the vertical lift spanaround which the.- lifting and lowering cablemeans are-passed; cable winding means located onithefoperatingtower;sheaves mounted on the operating tower below the level. of the sheaveson said lifting spa-n; when said span lowered position-andaroundwhichthe lowering cables are passed from the lifting span and led to thecable winding means, said lifting and lowering cables being secured tosaid winding means so that operation of said winding means acts,according to the direction of rotation thereof, to raise or lower saidspan; counterweight sheaves on said towers; main counter-- weight cablesattached to the lifting span and passing over said counterweightsheaves; main counterweights suspended from said counter weight cables;and means connecting the cable winding means on the operatin tower andthe counterweight sheaves thereon to insure a, desired ratio of relativespeed of rotation of said winding means and counterweight sheaves toeffect level raising of said vertical lifting span.

'7. A vertical lifting span bridge including: an operating tower; anidler tower; a vertical lift span arranged for upward and downwardmovement between said towers; counterweight sheaves mounted on saidtowers; cables attached to said lifting span and extending over saidsheaves; counterweights suspended in said towers from said cables;auxiliary counterweight sheaves mounted on said towers; auxiliarycounterweight supporting cables running over said auxiliarycounterweight sheaves and attached to said lifting span; auxiliarycounterweights suspended in said towers from the cables running oversaid auxiliary counterweight sheaves and comprising a plurality ofconnected bodies for counterbalancing the weight of the counterweightcables; means for changing the direction of movement of the auxiliarycounterweight supporting cables during one-half of the upward ordownward movement of said span; an abutment arranged on each of thetowers to engage with the lowermost of said connected bodies of saidauxiliary counterweight; lifting cable means attached to the idler towerfor raising and lowering said span; sheaves mounted on the lifting span;sheave means on said operating tower below the level of the sheaves onthe lifting span when said span is in lowered position;'cable windingmeans located on said operating tower; said lift- W- m countera pair oflowering.

operating tower;

ns-z-cahl ea sspa d fro the m nts" of fattachment to: the idler,toweraround the sheaiV-eson;saidliftingspanand said sheave means n; a dner ms pw r nd nsa ee wi i nd nameana scat:.-on ie o a d w n ing -means;-acts, accqrdingto therdirection of no, tation. thereof,-; to; raiseorxlewer the lifting span; n m s camting oni-e-the operatingtowen.andthe counterweight sheaves thereon, to-insureadesired ratio ofrelativespeediotrotation. ofsaid-winding; means andr counterweightstoefilectilevel raising 0 S d" V- ticallif-tingspani i, J a H i 8;. A-verticalliftingspambridge-including; an, 7 p v an -id ler= tower; ;-avertical-lift, span arrangedfon. upwarde anda-cdownward -moveementibetweenisaid towers; cable means attaehedt said lifting sp to theidler tower for tothe idler tower for raising-and-lowering said.

span; sheaves mounted-omthe. lifting span;

; sheave; means mounted on saideoperatingtunnel? below ithalevehofthesheaves-on the lifting. span;

when-said. span is in loweredrposition of therlift-i ingpspan;r cable,operating towen, said cable meansbeingpassed from the' pointsof-attachmentto thefidler tower around the...sheaves, and sheave meansand en.-

gagefi with-said windingfmeans so that operation according to. the.'di,-

of; said winding means acts) rectiongof. rotation thereof; toraisejor.lower the.

i lifting span counterweight. sheayes' on said. tow:

ers; main counterweight" cables attached to'the lifting span and passingover said sheaves; main counterweights suspended from said counterweightcables; shelf-like abutments arranged on and said counterweight;rectangular sockets in which said main counterweight cableends aresecured, said rectangular sockets being arranged in close proximity toone another to engage the undersurface of said abutments; and meansconnecting the cable winding means on the operating tower and thecounterweight sheaves thereon to insure a desired ratio of relativespeed of rotation of said winding means and counterweight to effectlevel raising of said vertical lifting span.

9. A vertical lifting span bridge including: an operating tower; anidler tower; a vertical lift span arranged for upward and downwardmovement between said towers; cable means attached raising and loweringsaid span; sheaves mounted on the lifting span; sheave means mounted onsaid operating tower below the level of the sheaves on the lifting spanwhen said span is in lowered position; cable winding means located offthe lifting span adjacent one end only thereof, said cable means beingpassed from the points of attachment to the idler tower around thesheaves and sheave means and engaged with said wind ng means, so thatoperation of said wind ng means acts, according to the direction ofrotation thereof, to raise or lower the lifting span; counterweightsheaves on said towers; main counterweight cables attached to thelifting span and passing over said counterweight sheaves; maincounterweights suspended from said counterweight cables; and means forinsuring equal rate of movement of the ends of the liftin spancomprising a mechanical drive means connecting said cable winding meansand said counterweight sheaves. 7

10. In a vertical lifting span bridge, an operating tower; an idlertower; a vertical lift span arranged for upward and downward movementbetween said towers; counterweight sheaves mounted on said towers;cables attached to said thebable winding means, 7

winding Y means located on the,

lifting spangand extending over said shavesj mounted 'on said towers;auxiliary; counterweight supporting cables running over said auxiliarycounterweight sheaves and attached to said span; auxiliarycounterweights of variable effective weight suspended in said towersfromsaid auxiliary counterweight supporting cables, said auxiliarycounterweights each comprising an elongated flexiblemember; means in thetowers for supporting said-auxiliary counterweights at the ends thereofopposite to the ends supported by the auxiliary:counterweight supportingcables; and means for changing the directions! movement of the auxiliarycounterweight supporting cables during orighalf of the upward ordownward movement of said span.

11. A-bridge as defined in claim 10 in which the means for changing thedirection of movement of the auxiliary counterweight supporting cablesduring one-half of theupward or down-,

ward movement of said span comprises a, pair of sheaves for each of saidauxiliary counterweight supporting cables mounted on said towers at apoint halfway between tlji'd ppermost and lowermost? positions of saidspan, said auxiliary counterweight supporting cables .rum1ing from saidspan between said pairs of sheaves to said auxiliary counterweightsheaves. i

12. In a vertical lifting span bridge, an operating tower; an idlertower; a vertical lift span arranged for upward and downward movementbetween said towers; counterweight sheaves on said towers; counterweightcables passing over said sheaves and attached to the lifting span;counterweight suspended in said towers from said counterewight cables;cable and sheave means mounted on said towers and said lifting span foreifecting raising and lowering of said span; and means for insuringequal rate of movement of the ends of the lifting span comprising adriving connection between said cable and sheave means for raisingand-lowering the span and said counterweight sheaves for driving saidcounterweight sheaves at a desired speed of rotation relative to thespeed of said sheave and cable means.

LOUIS H. SHOEMAKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the,

file of this patent: I

UNITEDSTA'I'ES PATENTS

